sunshowers
by jadediabla
Summary: five days it rained in LA & one day it didn't / jori
1. Chapter 1

_Sorry for any mistakes in this, I wasn't really up for checking before I reposted this :/_

* * *

Contrary to what most people would think, Jade West hates the rain. She's a sunshine kind of gal.

That doesn't stop her from running head first into the downpour the night Beck leaves her, alone, counting to ten behind Tori's front door. She manages to get soaked in the short walk down the Vega's driveway to her car.

Jade's drive home was silent. No radio. She took the long way so she wouldn't even have to see any other cars. It was just Jade and the sound of her breathing and the windshield wipers rhythmically squeaking. Beck would have to find his own way home.

* * *

When Jade arrived at her (not surprisingly) empty house, the first thing she did was trudge up the big, elegant staircase and to her room. Her bag was tossed to the floor. Leather jacket discarded on her desk chair. Dress, gone. Shoes left strewn beside the door. She climbed into her bed and lied on her side, just staring blankly at the walls of her gloomy bedroom. That's when she finally allowed herself to cry. It was a silent cry, with desperate sniffles and tear tracks following the curves of her anguished face. It stopped raining.

Beck walked home. He loves the rain.

* * *

Jade doesn't hate him. Not even a little bit.

* * *

She didn't know what time it was when she woke up. With cloudy skies it could be eleven, or three, or five fucking PM. She didn't know, and frankly she didn't care. It was Saturday. She had nothing to do. On Saturdays, Jade is supposed to be with Beck.

* * *

Cat comes first. Jade was downstairs making hot cocoa (her comfort food, and only Beck knows that) when the doorbell rang. She answered it in her huge t-shirt and underwear. Cat, holding a DVD copy of _Mrs. Doubtfire_ and a tub of mint  & chip ice cream, didn't bat an eyelash. This isn't exactly a new look to her. Despite what Jade says, they are best friends. She's seen Jade like this more times than she could count, and that's the only reason Jade didn't slam the door right in her sympathetic face.

Jade gave her a _what do you want from me_ look and Cat started to look conflicted. Cat had never gone through a breakup. That time Tori squirted hot cheese on her barely counted considering Cat was over the guy in a week. Jade assumed that she didn't really think about what to say when she got here.

Maybe it was the weird weather, or the emotional stress she'd been going through that past week, but something in Jade possessed her to step closer to Cat and actually give her a hug. A real hug, not a bullshit hug like she usually gives, but a real one, with Cat's head on her shoulder and arms around her waist and everything.

"I'm sorry," whispered Cat, "He's an idiot."

Jade used all her willpower not to cry.

* * *

Andre and Robbie came next. Cat paused _Mrs. Doubtfire_ and answered the door before Jade even asked her to. She wasn't worried about her choice of attire. Robbie was, though, and he turned tomato red as his eyes registered Jade's bare legs. Andre gulped but didn't move. Jade actually had in herself to smirk.

Her and Andre were friends. Real friends, like her and Cat. In fact, sometimes Jade felt closer to Andre then she did to Cat. But Andre is Beck's best friend, and suddenly he was standing in Jade's living room telling her stories about his grandmother to cheer her up which confused Jade to no end.

And forget Andre, but Robbie? Jade is nothing but horrible to him.

"Why are you guys here?" she asked after about half an hour of dancing around the reason.

"You may be a bitch, West, but we are your friends," answered Andre.

"Even if you aren't ours," added Robbie.

She smiled a real, genuine, Jade West smile.

* * *

They all left around five in the afternoon. _Mrs. Doubtfire_ has long since ended, the ice cream discarded, and now Jade was left alone in the house with an odd urge to listen to Taylor Swift (which she will _never_ admit she actually went through with) (it's very therapeutic).

Into the final, miserable chorus of "Dear John" the doorbell rang again. Jade groaned and went to answer it. She didn't know what she expected, but it wasn't what she saw.

Tori's eyes went wide at Jade's outfit (or lack there of). Jade's eyes went wide because Tori Vega was at her door. Jade almost slammed the door right then. She didn't, without knowing why.

"So, are you here to rub it in my face, Vega?" Jade asked after a few moments of silence. This seemed to take Tori aback.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, her dark eyebrows furrowed above her nose.

"You're probably here to ask me for permission to date Beck."

"I'm not."

"Go fuck yourself… Wait what?"

"I'm not here to ask for your permission to be with Beck," Tori said slowly, like Jade needed help with comprehension. "I don't want Beck, and even if I did, you guys are Beck & Jade. I can't come in between that."

Jade paused for a moment, biting her tongue from agreeing. "I… I think it's over for real this time, Tori."

Tori seemed surprised. "Oh… well, I still wouldn't do that. Not to a friend. Not to you. And don't say we aren't friends Jade, otherwise I wouldn't be here." Jade just blinked at her, arms crossed over her chest. "I've seen the way he treats you. He never deserved you. I knew it from the moment we met."

"You hated me."

"No, Jade, _you_ hated _me_."

"Still do."

"So are you going to let me in or not?"

Jade rolled her eyes and stepped out of the way.

"Lead the way."

* * *

Tori had never been inside Jade's house before. Tori never asked what her parents do, or who she lived with, or what color her bedroom is, or if she has any pets, because she never expected an answer. And now, Tori Vega, Jade's accidental rival, was walking through the gigantic white house, ooo'ing and ahh'ing at art and furniture that have grown bland to Jade's tired eyes. Three years ago, it was Beck's sound effects. It took Jade three months to finally let him in past the den.

Tori loved the painting in the hall by Jade's bedroom (which Beck bought with Jade at an art fair in Calabasas), and she ran her hand along the surface of their baby grand piano (where Beck would play classics that Jade taught him and the latter would lay across the top), and she dropped onto the leather couch with a giggle (and, oh god, it's like Beck's name is written all over it).

The walls in Jade's except for one, which is behind her headboard, and is painted startlingly black. Tori observes her room carefully. It's meticulously organized, everything having it's ow place. On the walls are few horror movie posters Tori recognized, with some playbills from shows Jade saw or put on. She doesn't ignore the odd-looking jars that sit on Jade's desk. The room is uncharacteristically normal. Tori didn't hide her content surprise at the sight. She probably thought Jade lived a coffin. She picked up Jade's pearpod from it's dock.

"You were listening to Taylor Swift?" the Latina smirked.

"Vega, I am going to kill you."

* * *

"So what now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I let you into my house, we've changed into pajamas and I made you cocoa. What do we do now?" For a moment, Jade looked genuinely confused. "I'm not an expert at this whole 'friends' thing."

Tori smirked. "Tell me about your mom."

"What?" Jade gave her the usual _I'd rather slam my tongue in a car door_ look.

"It'll take your mind off of things. Just tell me about her. I don't know anything about you other than your creepy obsession with scissors and we've been friends for like, a year. C'mon Jade. That's a bit weird."

"Fine. My mom gave birth to me."

"Jade."

The raven haired girl rolled her eyes. "I'm going to sleep."

Tori sighed, giving up. "Can I stay the night? I promise not to piss you off."

Tori smiled at her and it's contagious, Jade can't help but smile back. "Don't make promises you can't keep." She chucked a pillow at Tori's face, which Tori caught, and for a minute, Beck didn't exist.

* * *

When Jade woke, there was a hand draped across her waist. Beck doesn't paint his nails baby pink. Beck doesn't wear a charm bracelet. Jade counted the charms on the silver chain. A music note. A jeweled 'T'. A cherry stem that caught the light filtering through Jade's window from the angry, gray skies. Blue eyes fluttered closed again. Tori shifted in her sleep and pulled Jade closer. Jade pretended she didn't notice.


	2. Chapter 2

There's a split second, right when you wake up, where you don't remember anything. Not even your own name, and sometimes it's better that way.

When Jade woke up the second time, the arm around her waist was gone, she smelled waffles, and had no idea what the fuck was going on. And then she remembered. She remembered the _I don't want to be your boyfriend_ and the _we fight all the time_ and the _you're always so jealous_ and there was a weight in her chest in place of what once was butterflies.

She kicked off the blanket and creeped toward her open door. From the stairs she could hear busy humming and the clatter of pans dropping into the sink. Jade rounded the corner in time to see Tori setting two plates onto the counter in front of the bar stools. Jade raised a studded eyebrow.

"When I broke up with Danny, Trina made me breakfast. It made me feel better, and I thought that it might you feel at least a little better. Even if you are immune to compassion," Tori joked while getting utensils.

"You stayed over one night and now we're best friends?" Tori gave her a sheepish look and Jade smiled so she knew she was joking. "Damn, girl."

"That's not what I meant... Just eat your food," Tori blushed.

Jade looked down at the plates. Waffles and strawberries. Well done. Much to her surprise, Tori came back and set two mugs behind the plates. Jade's a rich, dark brown and Tori's a translucent green.

"You're a tea person?" Jade questioned. Tori nodded slightly as she sipped.

"It's good for you."

"I should've guessed. Tea is for pussies." Jade smirked and lifted her mug to her lips. She almost choked on her first sip.

"This is perfect. How did you know how I take it? I swear to god, Vega, have you been stalking me?"

"Jade, I'm pretty sure everyone knows how you take your coffee with the amount of times you ask for coffee from Be-" Tori stopped, her eyes falling to the floor.

"You can say his name," Jade coaxed, "It's not a dirty word."

"I just wasn't sure."

"Say his name. I'm not going to fall apart."

Jade didn't know who she was trying to convince.

* * *

"Do you want to do something today?" Tori asked halfway through an episode of American Voice.

"What do you mean," Jade asked, skeptical.

"I wanna have some fun. Do you know how to do that, Jade? Is fun in your vocabulary?"

"Grab my keys."

* * *

It stopped raining. It was humid and hot, calm after the storm, and everyone with some sense was outside. That's why Jade, in dark denim shorts and a black tank top (Tori said no all black, it would darken the mood, and Jade did her best), and Tori, in denim shorts, a white flowy tank top, and her obvious big brown bag were climbing out of Jade's truck.

They stood facing the Santa Monica Pier, and everything around them was soaking fucking wet.

"Really Tori?"

"I love the pier!" The Latina said defensively.

"Yeah, 'cuz you're you."

"You'll learn to love it."

"Ugh."

* * *

By the time the ground had dried, Tori suggested they rent roller skates and skate the boardwalk. Jade made a sour face.

"What, you hate the pier and roller skating?"

"Well, I don't exactly hate it..." Jade trailed off, turning her face away.

"Jade," Tori smirked after a few moments, "Do you know how to roller skate?"

"Totally."

"Want to show me?"

"...Fine."

Tori grinned. Jade rolled her eyes. The sun came out.

* * *

"Jade, you said you know how to skate, so put them on."

"Tori, they're white and pink and gross, I don't want these things on my feet. You know how many people have used these before? And couldn't they have used less ugly colors?" Jade knew that excuse wouldn't last long. Besides, she was just irritated because they wouldn't give her boy's skates, which were black.

"Jade."

"Vega," Jade deadpanned, "...Fine, I don't know how to skate, happy?" Jade could tell Tori was trying to suppress a grin but was miserably failing.

"Beck used to take me to Skateland and attempt teaching me but I never got it. He'd end up pulling me around for the couples skate, and we'd go make out in his car."

"Romantic."

"You had to be there," Jade snapped.

"I can teach you," Tori offered patiently.

"Did you not just hear me say I never got it?"

"Maybe you just needed a better teacher." Tori knelt down in front of the bench where Jade was so stubbornly situated and began to tie the laces on her skates. "C'mon, get up."

"Vega, if you don't get your hands off me-"

"It'll be fun! Please?" Tori begged, pouting her bottom lip.

"That bullshit doesn't work on me."

"Don't speak to your teacher like that, West, now get your ass off this bench."

* * *

Tori effortlessly glided onto the pavement, instantly going into a twirl. Jade huffed.

"Jade, keep your toes facing out or you'll fall."

"I'd love that," Jade instantly remarked. Tori just rolled her eyes and glided closer to the stubborn girl.

"C'mon, you can do this," Tori said sincerely and offered a hand to Jade. Jade did her best to give Tori a _we aren't friends, I'd rather slam my tongue in a car door_ look again but miserably failed.

Tori took one of Jade's hands in two of hers and genuinely smiled. Something in her stomach flip flopped.

They skated for half an hour up Santa Monica and back. Turns out Jade was a fast learner, though she did fall and scrape her knee (which caused her lash out at the seven year old who zoomed by her, making her lose balance, causing a bit of a scene. Tori couldn't stop laughing). Their hands were unnecessarily clasped the whole time (even when Jade was attempting the homicide of a child).

* * *

They decided to go back to the pier, and immediately Tori's face lit up at the bright colors and rides and candy like a kid on Christmas. It was beautiful.

Only Beck knew this, but Jade was a wimp. Like, a big wimp. Like, _no I will not ride the rollercoaster no I will not go down the black waterslide no I will not ride the dirtbike_ wimp, which served to be a problem when Tori wanted to ride the rollercoaster.

Jade almost wazzed on the spot. It was huge, it twisted and winded and hung over the Pacific Ocean supported by nothing but a wooden pier that's who-knows how old.

"Jade, you didn't want to rollerskate but that turned out to be fun."

"Rollerskating isn't life-threatening," Jade countered.

"I thought you liked life-threatening things," said Tori, looking genuinely confused.

"I'm screwed up but I'm not crazy."

"That's debatable," teased the Latina.

It was about two in the afternoon then. The sun, angled high in the sky engulfed Tori's hair and eyes making brown a metallic gold. Jade would rather ride the rollercoaster than admit it, but Tori was stunningly beautiful.

"I'll ride the ferris wheel, but that's it."

Tori made the most annoying squealing sound Jade had ever heard.

* * *

When they boarded the ferris wheel, Jade immediately sat across from Tori, as far away as the circular booth would allow. They begun to rise. Jade hated heights, and suddenly all she could think was _goth teenage heartbroken girls don't bounce._

Tori started telling Jade a story about Trina peeing at the top of a ferris wheel when she was nine. Jade wasn't listening, too captured by the Latina's honest excitement and the sun's reflection resting in her eyes.

"I have an idea," quipped Tori when their booth reached the peak.

"Fascinating," Jade deadpanned. Tori begun to search through her giant brown bag and pulled out of seemingly nowhere a small, banana yellow Polaroid camera. Jade rolled her eyes a little, because it's exactly the kind of thing a girl like Tori would do at the top of a ferris wheel.

Tori held the camera to her eye, facing Jade. Jade gave the camera her best death glare.

"Jade, smile," beaconed Tori.

"I don't smile in pictures."

"What about that one on your dresser, you know? The one of you at the Hollywood sign?"

"Beck took that," Jade sighed, "Which reminds me, I should take it down," she added when Tori started looking guilty.

"Smile for me, Jade."

"And if I don't?" Jade quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll push you off the edge,"

The black-haired girl smirked. "I'd love that."

 _click flash snap_

* * *

Tori didn't show her the picture until it was fully developed, and in the mean time, Jade took one of Tori. They decide to show each other at the same time. Jade made a face when she saw hers. She had one eyebrow cocked, and smirk playing on her lips. She looked genuinely happy. She didn't tell Tori how much she loved it.

"I have another idea," muttered Tori.

"Fascinating," mimicked Jade, earning her an incredulous look from the former. Tori set the camera to what looked like a time and let it rest beside where she was sitting. Then, she swiftly moved across the booth to Jade's side. "What are you doing…" asked the pale girl.

"We're taking a picture together. I want to remember this day," Tori replied.

"You want to remember my misery?"

"You're having fun, admit it," Tori teased, poking her fingers into Jade's sides. Jade mock-elbows Tori, laughing.

 _click flash snap_

* * *

It's Jade. It's her snow-white skin and dark eyebrows distorted by the camera quality. It's her piercing blue eyes which blend with the ocean behind her, hiding miles away. A smirk tugging at her pink lips like she knows something you don't. She probably does. You know, it's Jade.

* * *

It's Tori. It's her dark hair, cascading around her face. Her brown eyes catching the sun, her coffee colored skin contrasting with the waves beneath her. She smiles a wide, toothy grin that's almost childlike, and it gives Jade butterflies. It's beautifully Tori.

* * *

It's Tori and Jade. Tori has an arm around her shoulder and another poking at her ribs. Her smile is huge and contagious. A stray strand of her lays on her cheekbone. Jade is blushing. Jade is smiling. Jade hates being tickled, but here she doesn't seem to mind. Behind them, the ocean never ends.

* * *

While Tori bought herself a hot dog and Jade cotton candy, Jade reached into Tori's bag and stole the picture of the two of them. Tori turned around with the candy just in time for Jade to pull her hands back. It's the blue kind. Jade didn't know how, but Tori knew it was her favorite.

"Lucky guess."

* * *

"Are you feeling okay?" Tori looked genuinely concerned.

Jade didn't know how to answer. On one hand, yes, she was heartbroken. Her wounds were fresh and there was only so much she could get distracted by. He was everywhere she looked. But on the other hand, everything felt still. Everything was cotton candy melting on her tongue, the smell of popcorn, Tori's skin in the sun, sand on the pavement. It was like all the waves in her life subdued and now the sea was calm.

"I don't know," Jade broke the silence. "I don't want to go home."

"Me neither," Tori replied. "Can I show you something?"

"What…" Jade asked, skeptically.

"You'd like it. But you have to let me drive," pushed Tori, her hand inching toward the door handle.

"I told you I don't like life threatening things," Jade teased while climbing into the passenger seat.

"Shut it, West," and Tori revved the engine.

* * *

They cruised down the nearly empty Pacific Coast Highway for around twenty minutes before Tori made a turn, and suddenly they were on mountain and terrain and Tori didn't even have her license.

"You said my life wouldn't be in danger," Jade gasped when Tori accidentally drove over a rock, "If we get pulled over I'm screwed."

"I know how to drive Jade, that whole old lady thing was an accident, she was jaywalking…" Tori trailed off when she noticed the _what?!_ look Jade was shooting at her. "And besides, we're here."

"Tori, this is a mountain," Jade said, gesturing to the huge rock in front of the truck. Tori just smiled and climbs out of her seat, walking around the hood to open Jade's door before Jade could even reach for it. Tori leaned over to grab the blanket she packed in the back from behind Jade's chair, but did so before Jade could get out, resulting a very obvious lack of space between the two.

"Having fun there?" Jade said, obviously uncomfortable.

"Sorry," Tori whispered and Jade felt it on her nose. They got out and Tori set the blanket on the spotless bed of Jade's truck. "This is really clean," said Tori.

"Beck looks hot washing cars, so… Where are we?" Jade diverted the subject. She looked around. They were on a small cliff, standing on dusty ground. Behind them were bushes and rocks and a distant view of Malibu.

"Other way, Jade."

Jade turned. It was breathtaking. On the edge of the cliff, the ocean ran for miles, turquoise, wreaking havoc on the shore. The white sand of beach stretched across the ground in a straight line dotted with small palm trees and bushes. "Where are we?" She asked in a daze.

Tori smiled at the look on her face. "Point Dume."

"Wait… Point Dume like _Iron Man_ Point Dume?" She asked, her jaw dropping.

"Yep!" said Tori, smugly. "Who knew you were such a nerd?" Jade rolled her eyes and climbed onto the bed of the truck, leaning against the car. "I come here all the time, when I want to be alone. Before Trina got into Hollywood arts, we lived in Bell Canyon. It's a lot closer to here. My family would hike up here and have picnics on the weekends. I used to never want to leave."

Jade didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything at all. Sensing the silence, Tori continued. "I came up here after my first day at Hollywood arts."

Jade shifted, feeling guilty. "Why?" she asked anyway.

"Do you seriously not know?"

"Well, I do, I just happen to think iced coffee makes a great shampoo," Jade joked, and Tori cracked a smile. "I have to admit, Vega, you're fun. Didn't think you would be."

"Can I have that in writing?"

"Don't push me."

* * *

They stayed for what felt like hours, until the sun was low enough in the sky that the horizon glowed white. They talked about everything and nothing. Tori told Jade weird things about Trina, and Jade laughed harder than she ever had before. They talked about school, and teachers, Jade told Tori about her and Andre's song last year, and Tori told her about a one-act play she's writing for Sikowitz. They talked about Cat and Robbie, and made bets on how long it would take for them to get together.

Soon, they sunk into comfortable silence. Tori leaned her head onto the back of the truck's car, her eyes turned up to the sky.

"Isn't it weird," she started, and Jade shifted to look at Tori, who just continued to stare straight ahead. "The ocean just disappears right there, for miles and miles away, and it's miles and miles deep. There's so much we don't know." Tori took a deep breath only to sigh it out, and Jade watched her chest rise and fall.

"It makes all our problems seem like ants in the city," added Jade, attempting to sympathize.

"Look, Jade," says Tori, pointing towards the sky. "Storm clouds are rolling in."

* * *

When Jade got home, she put the small Polaroid film in front of the picture in the frame on top of her dresser, covering her smiling face at the Hollywood sign. She has new days she wants to remember.

* * *

That night, Jade fell asleep to the sound of rain beating on her window and Tori's laughter in her mind.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for any mistakes, thank you guys for reviewing/reading :)


End file.
